The effects of OGD-based accounting practices on perceived accountability of public administrations

Del Bene Luca, Tommasetti Aurelio, Maione Gennaro, Leoni Giulia

Accountability can be considered as neutral and sterile without a governance of public administration that has therefore progressively led to overcoming the limits linked to the excessive rigidity and bureaucracy of traditional accounting practices. This paper focuses on the main themes of Open Government Data (transparency, collaboration and participation) and analyzes through a quantitative approach, based on Structural Equation Model (SEM), their main impacts on perceived accountability. The aim is to verify the suitability of OGD-based accounting practices to improve citizens’ perception of the accountability of the public administration. The research makes an empirical contribution to the literature on accounting through the analysis of a management approach within a sector where studies are still fragmented.

Sans une gouvernance des administrations publiques la responsabilité peut être considérée comme neutre et stérile ce qui a progressivement conduit à dépasser les limites liées à la rigidité excessive et à la bureaucratie des pratiques comptables traditionnelles. Cet article porte sur les thèmes principaux de l’OGD (transparence, collaboration et participation) et analyse les impacts correspondants sur la responsabilité perçue au moyen d’une approche quantitative fondée sur le modèle d’équation structurelle (SEM). Le but du travail est de vérifier l’adéquation des pratiques comptables basées sur l’OGD, pour améliorer/sensibiliser la perception des citoyens sur la responsabilité de l’administration publique. Notre recherche apporte une contribution empirique à la littérature comptable, en proposant une attitude managériale dans un secteur où les études demeurent fragmentées.

L’accountability può essere considerata come fattore neutro e sterile senza un modello di governance pubblica che guida progressivamente al superamento dei limiti collegati all’eccessiva rigidità e burocrazia che caratterizzano le tradizionali pratiche di accounting. L’articolo si concentra sui temi principali dell’Open Government Data (trasparenza, collaborazione e partecipazione) e analizza attraverso un approccio quantitativo, basato sul modello di equazione strutturale, i corrispettivi impatti sulla responsabilità percepita. Lo scopo del lavoro è quello di verificare l’adeguatezza delle pratiche contabili basate sull’OGD sulla responsabilità percepita della pubblica amministrazione. La ricerca offre un contributo empirico alla letteratura sull’accounting fornendo un approccio manageriale in un settore dove gli studi risultano essere ancora frammentati.

Keywords: Open Government Data (OGD), transparency, collaboration, participation, accounting practices, public administration, Structural Equation Model (SEM)

Mots clés: Données Gouvernementales Ouvertes, transparence, collaboration, participation, pratiques comptables, administration publique, modèle d’équation structurelle.

Parole chiave: Open Government Data, trasparenza, collaborazione, partecipazione, pratiche contabili, pubblica amministrazione, modelli di equazioni strutturali.

Del Bene, L., Tommasetti, A., Maione, G., Leoni, G. (2020). The effects of OGD-based accounting practices on perceived accountability of public administrations. Azienda Pubblica, n 1, pp. 13-28.